Here Without You
by Tennyo no Ame
Summary: Kagome's amped up and ready for college. But, when she leaves for New York and her new school, how will Kagome deal without Inuyasha at her side? And how will Inuyasha cope with the girl's absence? What lengths will he go to to get her back?
1. Chapter 1

**Here Without You**

===****

**Chapter One**

_"A hundred days have made me older  
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face  
A thousand lies have made me colder  
And I don't think I can look at this the same  
But all these miles that separate  
Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face."_

_-Three Doors Down_

Kagome stared at the letter in her hands, her mouth agape with awe. She ran a delicate finger over the ink, making sure that it was real, that it wasn't just a cruel dream.

_Kagome Higurashi,_

_Congratulations! You've been accepted into New York University!_

Slowly, a smile spread across Kagome's face. "Mama!" she exclaimed running dropping her backpack and running into the kitchen. Her mother turned to see what had Kagome in such ecstasies. "Mama, I got in! I got into NYU!"

A smile instantly appeared on Mrs. Higurashi's face. "That's wonderful!" she cried, embracing her daughter, "Congratulations, Kagome!"

Kagome grinned into her mother's shoulder, muffled laughter coming from her mouth. The two parted, still grinning.

"Why don't you go tell Inuyasha and your friends about the good news!" Kagome's mother said, still smiling.

Kagome's smile faltered. She hadn't thought about telling Inuyasha about leaving since she had filled out the application papers… How would he react to this?

"Inuyasha!"

* * *

Amber eyes opened lazily as the cheerful voice called to the hanyou. He knocked a few stray silver hairs out of his face and stared down from his tree, his eyes half-opened and plagued by disrupted sleep. 

"Oi, Kagome," he called down. Inuyasha stretched his arms towards the sky and yawned, revealing pearly fangs.

"Inuyasha, come down here! I need to tell you something," the girl called.

Inuyasha closed his eyes and rested his head against the trunk of the tree. "Can't you tell me while I'm up here?"

"Inuyasha…" Her voice was threatening.

"Fine, I'm coming already," he replied with another yawn and stretch. The hanyou stood and jumped down from his branch, landing a few meters in front of Kagome. He raised his eyebrows expectantly. "Well?"

"Wait, I need to get Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, too!" She said, heading off towards the village.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, following behind the girl. _Why can't she just tell them later? _He wondered, _Why can't she just tell me now, and them later?_ The hanyou yawned again.

* * *

Once they had reached the village, Kagome's eyes began to dart around in search of her friends. She almost instantly spotted them, Shippou's bright tail working as a sort of flag. Sango and Miroku were sitting on a bench close by, laughing softly as Kirara and the kitsune played. Kagome trotted to the trio, smiling warmly. _Here I go…_

Sango looked up and smiled in return. "Oi, Kagome-Chan."

"Sango-Chan," Kagome said, greeting her friend with a gentle nod. She did the same with Miroku and Shippou. "I wanted to tell you all something- something really, really important."

Inuyasha sat on the ground next to Shippou and snorted. "Then tell us already."

Kagome frowned slightly at the hanyou's brusque comment, but continued. "You know that since I'm eighteen, my schooling is over, right?" The group nodded. "Well… it's not. I got a letter today from a university, in the United States." Kagome thought for a moment. _Do they even know about the United States…?_ "It's another country, far away from mine, and, um… I'm going to be going to school there."

The group sat in silence for a moment. Miroku was the first to respond to this bit of news. "Congratulations," he said, smiling brightly, and Kagome wondered if he knew what this new development meant for their group.

"Wait," Sango said, her brow furrowed, "What does that mean? Are you still going to be coming here?"

Kagome smiled wryly at her friend. "Not for a while, Sango-Chan…" she murmured, "I'll be there for four years, but I'm sure I'll be able to come back on holidays and over the summer." She smiled again and then glanced at Inuyasha. He hadn't said anything. Why wasn't he saying anything?

* * *

Inuyasha sat dumbstruck, his golden eyes wide with surprise. _Kagome is… leaving?_ The hanyou stared at the girl, who was now staring at him. He blinked, finally finding his tongue. 

"So, you'll be gone for four years?" he asked, trying to confirm that his fear was purposeful.

"Yeah," she breathed sadly, smiling wistfully at Inuyasha, "For the most part."

Inuyasha blinked and averted his eyes. He wouldn't see Kagome for four years…

"When do you leave?" the hanyou heard Miroku ask.

"In a couple of months," the girl replied, her cheerfulness returning. "I'm so excited!" she cried, "I've never been to the United States before. And the place that I'm going to is called New York- it's supposed to be amazing."

Sango smiled warmly at Kagome. "I bet you'll have a great time, Kagome."

"Me, too," Kagome murmured. She glanced over at Inuyasha, and their eyes locked for a moment. Inuyasha's heart did flips inside of his chest as he told himself not to look away; that if he kept his eyes on Kagome's she would be locked in that moment with him, unable to leave. She smiled at him, her brown eyes still staring into Inuyasha's gold ones. "But, I'll really miss you."

* * *

The next couple of months flew by as if on wings, each day seeming shorter than the last. Kagome had taken care of everything: her plain ticket, packing her things, reserving a dorm room in New York… there was only one thing left: the final goodbye. 

Kagome stared into the depths of her friend's brown eyes, resisting the urge to cry. "I'll miss you, Sango-Chan," she said, embracing the demon exterminator. Sango returned the hug. "I'll try and keep in touch through my mom and Inuyasha, okay?"

"Okay," Sango choked. She was also resisting the tears that were already filling her eyes.

The two parted and Kagome smiled wistfully at her friend. She turned to the Miroku, still smiling warmly at the monk. She walked up to him. "Bye bye, Miroku," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt him tentatively wrap his arms around her, giving her a small hug. She would have loved just to sit there and hang onto her friend, but his hand was heading south…

"Watch it, Miroku," she said, parting with the monk and glaring at him slightly. He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head.

"Kagome!" The girl heard the high-pitched squeal before a small kitsune tackled her, clinging to chest.

Kagome smiled and gave him a hug, rubbing her cheek against the top of his head. "Bye, Shippou."

The kitsune gave a small sob, his shoulders bobbing gently.

"I'll be back," Kagome murmured soothingly, placing the kitsune on the ground. She heard a small mewing sound behind her, just as she put him down. The girl turned and gave the small cat demon a pat on the top of her head. Kagome scratched the spot behind her ear and Kirara gave a soft purr.

_Okay… _the girl thought to herself, _the last goodbye…_ She turned, prepared to meet Inuyasha's confident gaze, but the hanyou was nowhere to be seen. Kagome looked around.

"Where's Inuyasha?" she asked.

Miroku snorted. "He didn't want to come. He's probably off moping somewhere."

Kagome sighed. "I'll be right back," she murmured, jogging off in the direction of Inuyasha's tree. Upon approaching the tall tree, she noticed a boy with silver hair and dog ears sitting in one of the higher branches.

Kagome cupped her hands around her mouth. "Inuyasha!" she called, staring up at the hanyou.

She saw Inuyasha stir and glance down.

* * *

"I'm not coming down," the hanyou said with the stubbornness of a child. 

"Come _on_, Inuyasha," he heard Kagome whine, "Just come and say goodbye."

"No," Inuyasha shouted, "I'm not saying goodbye, because you aren't leaving!" Even after months of preparation, the hanyou wasn't prepared to say goodbye, nor to even accept the fact that she was leaving.

"Inuyasha…"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha mocked her tone. He heard the girl sigh.

"Osuwari!" she cried, sending the hanyou toppling down to earth, hitting a few branches on the way down. He landed at the girl's feet, cursing quietly.

Inuyasha raised his head out of the dirt. _Okay, I **definitely** won't miss that_, he thought snidely. He noticed Kagome kneeling down in front of him, her eyes sad and pleading.

"Inuyasha, whether you like it or not, I'm leaving," she said, each word cutting into Inuyasha like a dagger, "It's up to you if you want to say goodbye. But-" The girl made a sniffling sound. "I'd really like it if I got to say goodbye to you."

Inuyasha looked up to notice that Kagome's eyes were brimmed with crystal tears, making them glisten. The hanyou gaped. _Is that because of me…?_ "Oh, please don't cry," he mumbled, pulling himself into a sitting position. He _hated_ it when Kagome cried.

"I'm not crying," she murmured.

"Yes you are," Inuyasha said, giving Kagome a deadpan stare. It was as clear as Inuyasha's fuzzy, white ears that she was crying.

Kagome wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, the tears lingering on her face for a moment. She glanced at the hanyou. "So, are you going to come and say goodbye?"

Inuyasha snorted, crossing his arms and averted his eyes. "Feh."

Kagome smiled and pulled herself to her feet. "Then, come on," she said, heading towards the well and her friends, "My mother and I wanted to show you something."

Inuyasha sighed and followed after the girl, his ears drooping sadly. She really was leaving, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

After one more tearful goodbye to the gang, Kagome and Inuyasha jumped into the well, transporting themselves to her home.

* * *

Kagome walked into her house, a delicate smile appearing on her face as the hanyou followed. "I'm back, mama!" the girl cried, slipping out of her shoes and walking into the kitchen. 

Kagome's mother smiled brightly at the two as they entered. "Hello, Inuyasha," she said warmly.

Inuyasha nodded his response. His eyes roamed over the small kitchen. "Um… you wanted to show me something?"

Kagome's eyes brightened slightly as if she was just remembering. "Oh, yeah!" she exclaimed. She walked over to the kitchen countertop and came back with a small device in her hand. "Inuyasha," she said slowly, "This is a telephone." The hanyou nodded; she had shown him this before. "Do you know what it's used for?" The hanyou shook his head this time. "Well," Kagome continued, "It's used to talk to people from far away. Like, when I'm in New York, you'll be able to talk to me with this." The girl smiled brightly.

Inuyasha gawked at the device, blinking. "I can use that to talk to you?"

Kagome nodded. "Mhm!"

The hanyou tilted his head slightly, looking at the telephone from a different angle. "How?" He snatched it from Kagome's hand and began to stare into the mouth piece.

Kagome giggled at his antics. "My mother will show you how to use it. Just come here if you want to talk to me, okay? Oh!" The girl clasped her hands together. "You can write to me, too. Just write a letter and my mother will send it." Kagome smiled again. "See? It won't be like I'm completely gone."

* * *

Inuyasha smiled for the girl's benefit. _But you _will_ be completely gone, Kagome… _The hanyou's ears drooped slightly as he stared at the floor. 

"Oh, Kagome!" Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed, "We need to go! You'll miss your plane!"

Inuyasha glanced up and noticed Kagome look up at a round thing with numbers on the wall. She sighed and stood. Inuyasha stood as well, looking at Kagome with confusion in his amber eyes.

"I have to go now, Inuyasha," she said, smiling wryly. She looked as if she might cry again. "I'll miss you."

Inuyasha's cheeks flushed; he averted his eyes. "Well, um… me, too." The color in his cheeks deepened.

"Oh, Inuyasha…" And before he knew it, Kagome had wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his haori. He heard her little sniffling sounds and felt her shoulders bouncing gently. The hanyou wrapped his arms around her, hugging her back, and wishing so badly that she wouldn't go. But, before long, the moment was over, and Kagome was prancing to the door.

The girl turned at the doorway, glancing back at Inuyasha. She trotted up to him and stood before him, staring up into his eyes. Then, she leaned up, lightly placing her lips on his cheek. Inuyasha's eyes widened his heartbeat racing. But, as soon as Kagome had placed her lips on Inuyasha's cheek, she removed them.

"I'll miss you, Inuyasha," she murmured, her breath on his cheek, "Sayonara."

And without another word, Kagome was walking away, leaving Inuyasha for a new world without him. The hanyou's hands clenched into fists, his ears flattened against his head.

"I… I'll miss you, too."

But she was already gone.

* * *

Author's notes: Argh... fanfiction-dot-net has this new weird spacing thing... dammit. --;; Anyway, hope you enjoyed the first chapter. 

**[edit:]** well, this breaker will do, I guess. But, I'm still annoyed. --; ::shakes fist at website::


	2. Chapter 2

Author's notes: Okay, after seeing what happened with my beta's story (Paper Wings), I decided to give you all a little heads up. I'm predicting a multitude of USA bashing in this fic. But, don't misunderstand. I live in the U.S., and I wuvs it so, but this country does have its quirks (to put it lightly). There's a quote: "Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall forever be entertained." So, there you go.

* * *

**Here Without You**

===

**Chapter Two**

"I'm here without you baby  
but your still on my lonely mind  
I think about you baby  
and I dream about you all the time."

-Three Doors Down

Brown eyes roamed over their surroundings, drinking in every aspect of the city. Wide with curiosity, they watched as a woman in a short black skirt ran through the mass of people; a Styrofoam cup in one hand, and a briefcase in the other. The brown eyes _continued_ to watch as the said woman tripped on a crack in the sidewalk, spilling brown liquid all over herself and a few bystanders.

Kagome ran a delicate hand through her raven hair, finally giving into the nervousness that had been eating away at her for the past day. Well, she wasn't sure if what she was feeling was regular anxiety, or disappointment in the supposed 'Land of the Free.' Her first wave of dissatisfaction with the country had come at the airport.

"Oh, are you Chinese?" some bimbo had asked as they stood at baggage claim, flashing a wide grin. "My boyfriend has a friend from China; maybe you know him?"

"Actually, I'm Japanese," Kagome had replied with raised eyebrows, thinking '_you've got to be kidding me.'_

But, the woman's idiocy had proved to be too much for even Kagome to handle. "Aren't they the same?" she had asked, still showing that loopy grin. Luckily, Kagome's bags had arrived before she could give her response.

Kagome sighed, combing her hair with pale fingers once again. The woman's behavior at the airport had put a serious dent in Kagome's opinion of the country. After all, first impressions were pretty much everything.

But, not _everyone_ in the United States of America could be a moron. Kagome was going to New York University, and that was supposedly a very good school. Plus, the United States was the most powerful nation in the country; how could such a powerful country be run by an idiot?

"Here's your place."

Kagome's attention jerked away from the open window and turned towards the cabdriver in front of her. His bushy eyebrows were raised as he held out his hand, and Kagome realized that she was supposed to pay him.

"Oh!" she cried, shoving a hand into the pocket of her jeans. She pulled out a crumpled twenty and handed it to the cabdriver, smiling sweetly in gratitude. "Thank you," she murmured, opening the door and stepping out. She pulled the strap of her backpack tighter on her shoulder as she began to close the door.

"Yep," she heard the driver reply. "Need help with your bags?"

Kagome smiled again, shaking her head gently. After almost three years of trekking through feudal Japan, Kagome didn't think pulling around a bag on wheels would provide much trouble. "No thank you," she said. "I can handle it."

The girl walked around to the back of the yellow taxicab and opened the trunk; reaching her hand into the carpeted interior and bringing it back out with a black bag. She grunted slightly as she pulled it out, dropping it onto the ground next to her.

Kagome closed the trunk, and with another smile, waved off the cabdriver. The driver drove off, the wheels of his yellow car screeching slightly as he pulled into Manhattan traffic. Kagome cast one last glance at the busy road before turning around and making her way towards the building before her. An innumerable amount of people walked around, heading for the same building, and chatting excitedly as they did so.

Kagome walked up to the large, worn-looking doors and inhaled deeply. _This is it…_ Kagome pushed the doors and stepped inside, a chill of excitement creeping up her spine.

Once inside of the building, Kagome's brown eyes began to swallow every feature of it. There was a couch by the stairs, facing a television set on the opposite wall. Several other pieces of furniture decorated the common room, but Kagome's eyes honed in on a desk, just a few meters away. The letters 'G - L' decorated a banner above it, and Kagome made a beeline for it, trotting quickly across the carpeted floor.

Kagome strode to the desk, her bag trailing slightly behind. The woman that sat there had long brown hair that cascaded over her broad shoulders, and a bright, but slightly forced smile. She aimed her grin at Kagome.

"Name?" she asked in a cheerful tone.

"Higurashi, Kagome," Kagome stated clearly, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

The woman nodded and began shuffling through a small box with little dividers in it. Finally, she pulled out a small silver key and handed it to Kagome. "That's a Japanese name isn't it?" she asked as Kagome took the key from her fingers.

Kagome smiled. _Finally, someone who's **not** an idiot._ She nodded, still smiling softly.

"Oh, well then, ar-ee-gah-toe!" The woman beamed, obviously very proud of herself.

Kagome gave her a deadpan stare, literally at a loss for words. She mumbled a quick thank you to the woman before jetting off in the direction of her dorm room, wondering if she would be able to get through the school year with her patience still intact.

Kagome trotted up the staircase, casting a quick glance at the numbers on her key. _Two-twenty-four, two-twenty-four_, she repeated in her head, looking at the numbers on the surrounding doors as she walked down the hall.

Near the middle of the hall, Kagome finally came to her room. She slipped the key into the door and turned the knob, taking cautious steps into the room.

The room wasn't very big; probably around twice the size of Kagome's room at home. It contained two twin beds, parted with a small bedside table, and an easy chair in the far corner. Kagome's brown eyes wandered to the walls, noticing a door which most likely held a bathroom, and two small closets.

Kagome sighed deeply and dropped her backpack next to the door. She walked to the bed on the far side of the room, collapsing face-down into the soft sheets. She sighed again, a small smile on her lips as she relaxed into the blankets, her muscles loosening.

But, just as soon as Kagome had begun to relax, the sound of quick footsteps and a door flying open brought her attention back. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched as a girl with short blonde hair and playful green eyes ambled into the room, a brown backpack on her shoulders.

The girl grinned at Kagome and gave her a small wave, just with a flick of the wrist. "Yo."

Kagome returned the smile. "Hi."

The girl walked into the room, slamming the door shut behind her and dropping her backpack -and herself- onto her bed. "I'm Piper," the girl said, sitting back on her bed and crossing her legs. "I guess we're roommates."

Kagome smiled. "Kagome." She held out a hand which Piper took in a gentle squeeze, both girls still smiling brightly. "I guess we are."

* * *

"I do _not_ miss her." Inuyasha pulled his Tessaiga out of the dead youkai, thrusting it back into its sheath as he gave Miroku an irritated glare. "She's only been gone for a couple of days."

"Yes, but you can't deny that there's a sort of…" The monk paused, searching for the correct term. "…_emptiness_ without her here."

Sango nodded, seconding Miroku's reasoning. "He's right. It definitely feels weird without Kagome here," the demon exterminator said, slinging her enormous boomerang onto her back.

A small sniff was heard from the kitsune at Sango's feet. "_I_ miss her," Shippou said, rubbing his green eyes. "Without Kagome here, who's supposed to protect me from Inuyasha?"

The boy's cheekiness was met by a swift hit to the top of his head. A small yelp of surprise escaped Shippou's mouth as he rubbed his head and scurried up to Sango's shoulder.

Inuyasha glared at the boy and snorted, turning and walking calmly in the direction of the village. "I _don't_ miss Kagome," Inuyasha repeated, still refusing to face his companions. As soon as he convinced himself of that small fact, then he could tell the others to their faces.

* * *

Piper pivoted on her bed and brought her feet up, laying back onto the soft comforter. She placed her hands behind her head and closed her eyes, smiling gently at the ceiling.

"So, where're you from?" she asked, her eyes remaining shut as she spoke.

"Oh, uh, Japan," Kagome replied, sitting on the edge of her bed with her hands placed gently in her lap.

Piper turned and looked at Kagome, eyebrows raised. "Wow, that's pretty far to go just to go to NYU."

Kagome nodded. "Mhm, but I've always wanted to go to the United States, and going to school here always seemed so… neat."

Piper snorted. "Well, enjoy your stay in the U.S."

Kagome smiled and nodded. "Thank you." The girl's eyes wandered absentmindedly to the backpack at Piper's feet. "Um, did you pack enough?" she asked, "That's an awfully small bag."

Piper propped herself up on her elbows and glanced down at her backpack. "Eh, it's no big deal. My parents live about thirty minutes from here; I can go get more of my junk if I ever need to."

"Then, why not live off campus with your parents if it's so close?"

"The same reason any normal eighteen-year-old wouldn't." Upon seeing the blank stare on Kagome's face, Piper continued. "My parents drive me insane."

"Oh." Kagome nodded knowingly, a small smile creeping across her face as she remembered some of the things her family had done just for the sake of her embarrassment.

"So, what are you doing tonight?" Piper inquired, quickly changing the subject.

"Nothing," Kagome replied. "I'll probably just get my stuff settled in." She tilted her head curiously. "Why?"

"Well, I don't really have anything planned." A smile appeared on Piper's face. "Want to go out?"

"_Out?_" Kagome repeated inquiringly. "Out where?"

Piper's eyebrows lifted. "Are you serious? We're in _New York City_. You just came here from Japan; isn't there something you want to see?"

Kagome blinked, her eyes wandering aimlessly as she considered the question. What was it that she had always wanted to see in Manhattan? What was it that made it stand out among all of the other cities of the world? Kagome's lips curved into a smile. "I've always wanted to go to Central Park," she admitted. "And the Statue of Liberty."

Piper grinned. "Then, there you have it. Onward to the statue!" The girl jumped to her feet, plucking a small backpack from her bigger one and jogging towards the door.

Kagome followed suit, grabbing her purse and striding through the doorway. She closed the door behind her, and turned to see Piper talking calmly with a few people. The girl turned and motioned to Kagome, a smile upon her face.

"Kagome," she called, "Come on."

Kagome nodded, her cheeks flushing slightly as she padded up to Piper and the others.

"Everyone." She made a motion to the three people in front of her. "This is Kagome. Kagome, this is Willow." She motioned to a girl with short, wavy brown hair. The girl smiled warmly and waved, while Kagome nodded her hello. "This is Alex." A boy with messy blonde hair grinned and gave a small wave. "And, this is Ricky." The boy deemed Ricky stepped forward. He was tall, towering over Kagome, and had short, brown hair. His hazel eyes shimmered as he took Kagome's hand in his and brought his lips to it.

Kagome blushed furiously, her mouth slightly agape.

"Nice to meet you," Ricky murmured, glancing up into Kagome's shy, brown eyes.

Kagome blushed even more, but was able to smile. "You, too."

And then the group ambled on, chatting happily as they headed for the Statue of Liberty. Walking on the streets of Manhattan with these people, the sun setting in the distance, Kagome smiled to herself.

_I think I'm going to like New York._

* * *

On the other side of the world, almost seven-thousand miles and five-hundred years away, a hanyou with silver hair sat in an ancient tree, staring at the rising sun. The golden orb appeared just above the distant hills, its yellow rays reaching across the land.

Rays of golden sunshine hit Inuyasha's eyes, the amber irises sparkling in the light. The hanyou winced slightly, but continued to stare out at the landscape, his thoughts wandering to those of a girl.

_Kagome…_ She had been gone for less than three days, but Miroku was right. There was a sort of emptiness there without her. Even before, when she had gone home, Inuyasha had known that she would be coming back within the next week.

But, with this, Inuyasha knew that she _wasn't_ coming back. He didn't have the next day, or even the next week, to look forward to. He couldn't stay patient with the knowledge that Kagome was coming back soon; because, she wasn't.

Inuyasha sighed, his chest heaving as he let out the breath. How long would it be before he saw Kagome again? A month? A year? Another sigh slipped through the hanyou's lips. For some reason, he wasn't sure if he could wait that long.

* * *

Author's notes: 5 reviews… God, that's sad. --; 


	3. Chapter 3

Here Without You

Chapter Three

"I'm here without you baby  
But your still with me in my dreams  
And tonight it's only you and me."

-Three Doors Down

Inuyasha padded softly through the forest, his feet making soft little tapping sounds on the dirt. Golden eyes darting around, he picked up his pace, leaping over fallen branches and in between bushes and trees, his destination already in mind.

"Where are you going, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou stopped in his tracks and turned to see a smug-looking Shippou, smiling slyly at him.

Inuyasha crossed his arms, turning his head away from the kitsune. "I'm going to use that machine to talk to Kagome," he said, still refusing to look at the small boy.

"Ah, so you _do_ miss her!" Shippou cried happily, thrusting a finger at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha snorted. "I do _not_ miss her."

"Then why do you want to talk to her?"

Inuyasha shot a sideways glare at Shippou, a growl rising in his throat. He had a point. Why _did_ he want to talk to Kagome? Maybe he really did miss her…?

The hanyou shook his head at the thought. "I just thought that she might want to talk to me. That's all." _Oh, great reasoning, Inuyasha, you're a sly one._

Shippou smirked. "Sure."

Inuyasha shot another glare at the boy before darting in the direction of the well.

* * *

A shrill noise rang through the silence that had once occupied the room, shaking both of its inhabitants out of their peaceful slumber. Kagome Higurashi buried her face in her pillow, trying to block out the sound, while Piper did the same, growling angrily at the device.

"Kagome…" came her tired voice. "Make it stop."

Kagome lifted her head from the pillow, her drowsy brown eyes honing in on Piper, asleep in the bed next to her, and then the phone on the bedside table. The object continued to emit harsh, ringing tones as Kagome stared at it, willing it to stop. _Who would call at this hour?_ She wondered, reaching for the phone.

"Hello?"

"Kagome?"

Kagome's eyes popped open at the sound of the familiar voice. "Inuyasha?!" she cried into the phone, causing her roommate to grumble and cover her head with her pillow.

"Keh. Who else?"

Kagome sat up in her bed, clutching the cordless phone like a lifeline as she grinned from ear to ear. It had been almost three weeks since she last saw Inuyasha, and it had taken his voice to remind her how much she missed him. "Inuyasha…" Her brown eyes roamed to the clock on her bedside table. "Inuyasha, it's four in the morning here!"

"God damn, Kagome, shut it!"

Kagome smiled in amusement at her friend's brusqueness. "Sorry," she whispered, crawling out of her bed and out the door.

Once in the hall, Kagome spoke into the phone. "Inuyasha… I haven't talked to you for so long."

"Feh."

Kagome smiled at Inuyasha's usual response. "How are Shippou and the others?"

"They're fine." There was a pause on the other end. "How's that place?"

Kagome giggled softly. "New York is very nice. I've met a lot of people."

"Keh. Aren't you supposed to be studying?"

Kagome's brow furrowed. "Yes, but I can still do other things."

Inuyasha snorted into the phone.

A playful smile crept across Kagome's lips. "Inuyasha… you're not jealous, are you?"

"Jealous? Keh. Of what?"

Kagome closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. "Never mind." The girl thought for a moment before speaking again. "Inuyasha… why did you call?"

There was silence on the other end, and Kagome was almost positive that Inuyasha would be blushing. "Was I not supposed to?" he asked uncertainly.

"No, it's fine. I was just wondering why all of a sudden-"

"I just wanted to talk to you."

Kagome's breath hitched in her throat, her heart clenching. _He… misses me?_ Kagome's smile widened into a grin as her cheeks flushed. "I'm glad."

"Keh. Well, don't think it's going to happen a lot. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't hurt, or didn't forget about us."

Kagome's eyes softened as she smiled gently. "Inuyasha, I could never forget you."

Yet another moment of silence on the other end. Kagome yawned, craning her neck to the side. "Inuyasha, I should probably go. I have a test tomorrow, and I need to sleep."

"Hai." Inuyasha's voice came in a breath, sounding defeated and disappointed.

"If you want to call me again, call some time during the morning or late night, okay?"

"Hai."

Kagome smiled gently, wishing that Inuyasha could see how much he had made her smile. "Good night, Inuyasha."

"Good night, Kagome."

Kagome removed the phone from her ear and pressed the off button with a sigh. She let her head fall back and closed her eyes, sighing again. Hearing Inuyasha's voice, hearing how he hadn't changed at all since she left, should have made Kagome happy; it should have reassured her.

But, it only made her miss him more.

* * *

"Arigato, Mrs. Higurashi," Inuyasha mumbled, exiting through the back door. He padded off in the direction of the well, his ears drooping slightly. It had been the first time in weeks that he had had the chance to talk to Kagome, and their conversation had been so short.

Inuyasha kicked the side of the wooden well with a frustrated grunt before jumping in. He remembered that Kagome had said that she could never forget him. He only hoped she was telling the truth.

* * *

For the second time that night, a shrill sound rang through the dark room, alerting both of its residents out of their sleep.

"Stop calling us!" Piper shouted to no one in particular, her voice drowsy and annoyed. She threw a pillow at the phone, sending it clattering to the floor.

Kagome lifted her head from the pillow, her bangs falling over her tired eyes. "Ano, that's not the phone." A look at the alarm clock confirmed Kagome's fears. It was seven o' clock; time to get up.

Piper reached out a hand and pressed the off button on the clock, grumbling as she did so. "I need aspirin."

Kagome smiled slightly, stretching her arms and legs out. "I think anyone would need aspirin after having three bottles of beer and then partying for five hours straight," she said, hopping out of her bed, completely headache free.

Piper snickered and pulled out the drawer from the bedside table, shoving her hand inside and digging around. She pulled out two small pills and popped them into her mouth. The painkillers having been devoured, Piper rolled back into her bed, closing her eyes.

Kagome rolled her eyes and snorted, grabbing onto the blonde's wrists and pulling. "Come on," she said, "We have school."

"Do I look like I care?"

Kagome gave another roll of her eyes, smiling gently. "No, but you will when you get kicked out of school."

Piper opened her eyes and pulled herself into a sitting position, casting a sideways smirk at Kagome. "Damn you and your Japanese reasoning."

Kagome smiled. "Now, come on, we need to get going."

Piper and Kagome worked quickly to get ready, the time until their classes started wearing thin. Kagome slipped into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before jetting out the door.

"Ja ne!" she called, grabbing her backpack and closing the door.

"Ja," she heard Piper's lethargic voice call.

Kagome smiled to herself. Having been with Piper for almost three weeks, Kagome had taught her a few terms in Japanese. And, much to Kagome's satisfaction, she didn't butcher the language.

Kagome hurried out of the dorm building, her quick footsteps barely audible among the screeches of cars and sirens. The girl hurried to her first class, which was oh-so-conveniently placed five minutes from her dorm.

Upon reaching the building, Kagome pressed through the mass of students around her, mumbling little 'excuse me's' as she went. The girl opened the big, wooden door and rushed inside of the building, making a beeline for the auditorium where her lecture would take place.

Tiptoeing into the large room, Kagome's brown eyes darted around searching for a seat. Finally landing on one, the girl walked towards it, squeezing past her peers. Upon reaching her chair, Kagome sat down, letting a sigh escape through her lips.

"Late again? Now, Mrs. Higurashi, we expected better of you."

Kagome turned to meet the gaze of the owner of the annoyingly charming voice. She was met by a wide grin and playful brown eyes.

"How ya doing?" Ricky asked, tilting his head in an innocent fashion.

Kagome blushed slightly and shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze. "Fine." Her blush deepened as Ricky continued to smile at her. She bowed her head slightly. "And you?" she asked, casting him a sideways glance.

Ricky grinned, baring pearly white teeth. A slight shiver went up Kagome's spine. Something about the way he smiled, the way he always had this unwavering confidence, didn't feel right to her.

"I'm fine," he replied in a near whisper, facing forward as their American history professor entered the room. "But, I'd be better if it was still summer vacation."

Kagome smiled gently, pulling her notes out of her bag along with a mechanical pencil. She understood very well what he meant; once school had started, she had had even littler time for herself than she had in the days when she wandered around feudal Japan.

Kagome's heart gave an unexpected clench as she remembered those days; the 'good old days' as so many would put it. It seemed like so much time had passed, though she knew it had only been weeks since she had been to Inuyasha's world.

Kagome sighed, trying to pay attention to what her professor was rambling on about; something about a city called Boston and a tea party. But, somehow, she found it hard to concentrate when a silver-haired hanyou plagued her thoughts.

* * *

A gust of wind passed by the Goshinboku, ruffling the leaves that had remained throughout the beginning of the monsoon season. A weary hanyou sat among the branches, a sigh leaving his lips as he stared out at the clouds in the distance. Another gust of wind greeted the hanyou, a familiar and enraging scent carried upon it. Inuyasha growled. _Oh God, I'm not in the mood…_

"Oi, dog turd!"

Inuyasha's growl rose in his throat at the sound of the wolf demon's voice. He peered over the side of his branch and glared down at a very impatient looking Kouga. "What do you want?" he asked in an agitated tone.

"Where's Kagome?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened for a moment before he remembered; Kagome hadn't seen Kouga since she got word of her acceptance to that school. He didn't know that she was gone. Inuyasha snorted and flicked his gaze away from the wolf. "She's off at school."

"At this time of day?" Kouga asked. "Shouldn't she be out?"

Inuyasha snorted again, closing his amber eyes. "_No_, she's at a different school," he explained. "A school in another country, somewhere."

There was a moment of silence between the normally bickering men, neither knowing quite what to say. Finally, Kouga spoke. "So... she's… gone?"

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted. "Finally you get the idea."

A growl was heard from the ground has Kouga stared up at the hanyou. "When will she be back?"

Inuyasha shot a glare down at the wolf boy, his golden eyes flickering momentarily. That was information that he'd rather Kouga didn't know. He snorted. "Don't know."

Kouga growled again. "Well," he said, sounding aware of his defeat, but still defiant, "I'll be back when she gets back, dog turd. Ja."

And, with a burst of wind, Kouga had headed off, a small cyclone of dirt and air forming around him as he ran. Inuyasha watched Kouga's tornado form run until he could no longer see him among the trees. The hanyou sighed. On any other _normal_ day, Inuyasha would have been more than willing to drill Kouga into the ground. A small smirk appeared on his lips. Well, if Kagome didn't 'osuwari' him into oblivion.

The smirk disappeared from Inuyasha's lips as soon as it had come. Maybe that was the problem. On any normal day that Kagome was there, he'd be willing to kill Kouga in an instant; but, of course, wouldn't be able to before she osuwari'd him. And, now that she was gone, Inuyasha _could_ destroy Kouga. He just didn't feel the need or want to do it.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes before closing them, bracing himself for the rain that would soon come. Was missing Kagome supposed to be this complicated? Was it supposed to be this confusing?

* * *

Drops of water fell from the sky, landing on the top of Kagome's head. The girl raised her eyes to stare at the sky as the rain fell around her, ensuring that she would be soaked from head to toe within minutes.

"K'so…" she murmured, ducking her head down and heading for the library. _Why does my job have to be on the other side of the campus?_ She wondered dismally as more rain fell.

Kagome cursed under her breath. A week ago, getting a part time job had seemed like a great idea. But, now, as she ran through the campus, getting soaked by the downpour of rain, it just seemed asinine. How would she be able to pass her classes _and_ work at the same time if by the time she reached her job, all of her papers were soaked? Kagome growled softly, making a silent reminder to invest in an umbrella.

As if on cue, the onslaught of rain discontinued, leaving Kagome wet, but no longer annoyed by the tiny pricks of rain on her skin. The girl looked up to see what was now blocking her from the rain, and noticed a blue canopy overhead. Kagome shifted her gaze to the side to see Ricky standing there, umbrella in hand.

The man smiled warmly at her. "You might want to get one of these if you're planning on living in New York City."

Kagome nodded, blushing slightly at the realization of how close together they were standing. She nodded again, keeping her head bowed as she mumbled a quiet thank you.

"So, where you headed?" Ricky asked.

Kagome glanced up, swallowing her shyness and smiling gently. "The library," she said, "I got a part time job there."

"Ah," Ricky murmured, nodding knowingly. "I was just on my way there to do some studying. How 'bout we walk together?"

Kagome nodded, her blush returning as they walked along the sidewalk. Her heels clicked on the wet cement, the sound muffled by the clattering of the rain on the umbrella.

"So, you're from Japan, I hear."

Kagome shot a glance at Ricky, worried that he would try to speak Japanese, but nodded. "Yes."

"Do you miss it?" Ricky inquired. "I know it must be pretty weird being so far from home."

Kagome nodded, a wistful smile appearing on her lips. "I guess I do miss it a little," she admitted quietly. "But, it's not so much that I miss actual Japan; just that I miss certain things about it." Her heart gave a painful lurch as her thoughts crept back to her home, her family, her friends… her Inuyasha.

"Got a boyfriend back home?"

Kagome stopped walking at this question, her brown eyes widening. The girl turned to face Ricky, who was now smiling hopefully, his eyebrows raised. Did… did she have a boyfriend? Kagome's thoughts swept back to Inuyasha, the hanyou that had stayed by her side through all of those years…

The girl blushed, quickly shaking her head. Inuyasha wasn't her boyfriend; she was _almost_ sure of it…

"No," she whispered, wondering if she had said the right thing.

Ricky grinned. "Then, I guess it won't matter if I do this."

Kagome titled her head, about to ask _'Do what?'_ when Ricky leaned down and caught her lips in a quick kiss. Kagome's eyes widened in shock; fighting the instinct that told her to push him away.

Ricky removed his lips from hers, grinning widely. His eyes darted to the watch at his wrist, widening slightly. "Sorry, I just realized that I have a make-up to do for chemistry." He stepped away from Kagome, who _would_ have responded, but was still in a daze. "Later, Kagome." And with a quick flash of his pearly grin, he was gone.

And Kagome was standing in the rain, staring after him.

The girl's mouth was agape, her cheeks the color of the reddest rose. Rain continued to pour, dampening the girl's hair and clothes until she was soaked through to the skin. But, somehow, Kagome didn't seem to care.

* * *

The room was hot, way too hot. But if this was where Piper and her friends insisted on going, then so be it.

Kagome looked around the small bar cautiously. "Are you sure we're allowed to be in here?" she whispered to Piper, her eyes darting around the room nervously.

"It's fine," Piper said reassuringly. "Nick's cool, he's fine with us being in here."

Kagome nodded and stepped away from Piper. She stole a glance at the bar-owner, Nick, and smiled graciously. Not very many bars were willing to admit four eighteen-year-olds who claimed that they just wanted a place to hang out.

"Oh, karaoke!" Willow squealed, pointing towards the stage. She turned to Kagome and smiled. "Don't they do that a lot in Japan?"

Kagome smiled and nodded. "Yeah, but I've only done it a couple of times."

"Well, let's make it a few times," Piper said with a grin. "Why don't you go up?"

Kagome blushed and bowed her head. "I don't know…" she murmured.

"Oh, come on, you'd be great," Ricky said, Alex nodding his agreement.

"Well, I don't know very many songs in English," Kagome protested honestly.

"Do one in Japanese," Piper said. "That would be so cool!"

"They probably don't have the music-"

"Oh, excuses, excuses." Piper grinned. "Just get your Japanese ass up there."

Kagome smiled at Piper's brusqueness, and, still blushing, walked up to the stage. Her legs felt like jelly, and provided little support. Once on stage, Kagome's brown eyes roamed over the small bar. She sighed a breath of relief upon realizing how few people there were, but her nervousness returned once she spoke into the microphone.

"I'm Kagome Higurashi," she said quietly, though the microphone made her voice much louder. "And I'm going to sing… um…" She paused for a moment, thinking of a song. A smile appeared on her lips once she landed on one. "It's called Sen no Kotoba, which means one-thousand words in English, I think."

A howl was heard from the audience, and Kagome looked down to see Piper and the rest shouting and clapping. And, from there, Kagome pulled her inspiration.

"Kimi no kotoba wa yume no yasashisa kana?" Even without the music, Kagome could remember the words perfectly. "Uso wo zenbu oikakushiteru. Zurui yo ne."

The girl continued to sing, adding subtle little dance moves every now and then. By the end of the song, Kagome had started to feel a little like Koda Kumi herself.

With the ending phrase, a loud roar of applause and shouts were heard from the crowd, which now consisted of only Piper and her friends. Kagome grinned and bowed. "Arigato!" she shouted, throwing an arm in the air as if she had been announced the champion of karaoke.

Kagome pranced off of the stage, still smiling brightly, and sat next to Piper.

"I don't understand a word of what you said, but that was pretty cool," Piper said.

"Yeah, I might have to take Japanese," Willow chimed in, smiling warmly.

Kagome grinned. "Thank you," she said, her cheeks flushing to a gentle shade of pink.

"Oi."

Kagome turned towards the voice, and was met with a wide grin. Ricky sat next to her, one of his arms creeping around her shoulders. Kagome's breath hitched in her throat as she stared at him.

Ricky's grin never left his face as he stared at the girl, his confidence shining in his hazel eyes. He leaned in towards her, until his mouth was up to her ear. Kagome could feel his breath on her face, and shivered. Finally, he spoke. "I kind of like you."

And Kagome's legs turned to jelly again.

* * *

A deep growl rose in Inuyasha's throat. He clenched his teeth as the hair on the back of his neck rose.

"What is it, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou turned to the monk who had spoken, his growl subsiding.

"I don't know," he admitted, his golden eyes darting from one end of the hut to the other. "I just keep getting these weird feelings. It's the second time today." Inuyasha shook his head furiously, sending his silver lochs flying around his face.

Again, the hair on the back of Inuyasha's neck bristled. A shiver shot down his spine. Inuyasha growled again, baring his teeth. _Something's wrong, _He thought, his eyes narrowed. He just wished her knew what.

* * *

Author's notes: gaaah, I hate this breaker! ::glare::****


	4. Chapter 4

Author's notes: I just have a quick note to Major Ace: Yes, I did have to make the people at NYU morons. It's more fun that way. And, why do you say it's okay to make fun of someone else, just not you? That's wacked logic. Like I said: "Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall forever be entertained."

And remember that I don't live in NY, and I've never been to New York. You'll have to forgive me for my lack of knowledge of that area.

---

**Here Without You**

**Chapter Four**

"The miles just keep rolling  
as the people either way to say hello  
I hear this life is overrated  
but I hope it gets better as we go."

-Three Doors Down

_If books were drops of water, I'd be drowning right about now…_ Kagome Higurashi glanced around the library in which she worked, her brown eyes dark and brooding. A loud yawn escaped her lips, and was met with an instantaneous glare from almost every adult in the building. _Don't blame me if I'm exhausted out of my mind, _she told them silently. _Blame Piper and her constant urge to party. _Kagome yawned again.

"Hey-oh."

Kagome instantly perked up at the sound of the familiar voice. Before her stood a blonde girl clad in jean shorts and a baggy, red sweatshirt. _Speak of the devil, _Kagome thought, cocking an eyebrow at Piper's unusual outfit. Wasn't it below thirty degrees outside…?

"Aren't you cold?" Kagome asked, giving the girl in front of her a blank stare.

"Of course not," Piper replied, closing her emerald eyes and waving her hand as if waving off Kagome's question. She grinned and returned her gaze to the Japanese girl. "Got plans tonight?"

"I have a feeling that I will after this conversation," Kagome murmured dully.

Piper's grin widened. "How does a party at the frat house sound?"

"Which one?"

Piper shrugged. "The atheist frat."

Kagome raised a slightly amused eyebrow. "Where's that one?"

"Not a clue." Piper smiled with feigned pride.

Kagome rolled her eyes, smiling gently to herself.

"So, are you in?" Piper pressed. "I bet Ricky'll be there." Piper waggled her eyebrows suggestively, a playful smirk upon her lips.

Kagome's cheeks flushed. Ever since the night at the karaoke bar, Ricky had been sending _vague_ signals that he was interested in her. Kagome snorted. Okay, so they weren't exactly vague; they were more likely to be compared to a flamingo wearing electric blue spandex while waving bright green glow sticks in the air while standing in the middle of a crowd of penguins.

Kagome sighed with discontentment. Even being one of the few good-looking boys that had shown interest in her, something didn't feel right with him. Sure, he was charming, handsome, and intelligent; but, for some reason, Kagome just wasn't interested. I mean, how could she be? What with the golden-eyed hanyou constantly on her thoughts…

The girl's blush deepened. "I'll go," she said. "But, not because of Ricky," she quickly added.

Piper smirked. "Sure. Just head over to the frat buildings when you get off of work. You should be able to figure out which house by the music."

Kagome nodded, matching Piper's smirk. "I should be off in a few hours. See you then?"

"Yep." Piper started walking back, and with a wave of her hand, said, "Later."

"Ja ne."

And with a sigh and roll of her eyes, Kagome got back to work; standing at her desk while nothing continued to happen.

---

_Two months, three weeks, four days, twelve hours, and fourteen minutes… Two months, two weeks, four days, twelve hours, and fifteen minutes… _Inuyasha blew out a stream of air through his lips, his ears drooping slightly.

_I guess I really do miss Kagome, _he thought sadly. He lifted his eyes towards the sky where grey clouds hung, seemingly matching his emotion. Gentle flakes of snow began to descend from the heavens, landing on the ground below without a sound. Inuyasha sighed deeply.

"Baka," he muttered quietly, annoyed with himself for being so weak. The hanyou folded his arms over his chest, dropping his head against the tree behind him. A cold wind tousled his silver hair, whipping it around his closed eyes. It tickled his neck, but he did nothing to knock it away.

The hanyou sighed again.

"Inuyasha?"

Golden eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice. _Kagome…?_ The hanyou jumped into a crouching position and stared down, his whole body tingling eagerly. The woman that stood there stared up at him, and Inuyasha's excitement was soon replaced with disappointment and dread as a depressing realization hit him.

_Kikyo…_ _how could I have mistaken her voice for Kagome's? Why didn't I smell her coming? _Inuyasha's brow furrowed, a growl rising in his throat. Something deep inside of him told him to jump down, to go to her, but he held his grip on the tree.

"What?" he called down, trying to sound as angry as he should have been.

"Inuyasha…" Kikyo's soft voice came, penetrating the icy winds and snow. A smirk crept across her pale face. "Where is _that girl_? I haven't seen you with her for quite a while."

Inuyasha clenched his teeth, his heart sinking. His grip loosened on the branch, leaving small claw marks as he removed his hands. The hanyou rose to his feet and jumped down from his branch, standing only a couple of feet from Kikyo. His feet sunk deep into the white snow, and a chill shot up hit spine.

"She left to go to some school," he said, pain evident in his voice. His fists clenched at his sides.

Kikyo sneered. "So, she abandoned you?"

Inuyasha growled. "No, she didn't abandon-"

"She did," Kikyo interjected, averting her eyes with coy confidence. "Your ignorance won't hide it."

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head, but he refused to give into Kikyo's harsh words. "No, she's coming back…"

Kikyo's eyes softened as she feigned pity. "Poor, sweet puppy," she said, stepping towards Inuyasha. The hanyou's body tensed, but he did nothing to remove himself from the spot. Kikyo smiled, stretching a hand out and brushing his cheek with her delicate fingers. "I would never leave you."

Inuyasha's left ear twitched, his hands itching to knock away the hand of the woman that pursued him. He stared into the depths of Kikyo's cold eyes, finding himself paralyzed.

And for a split moment of insanity, he pictured Kagome standing there with her hand on his cheek; her warm smile, her soft brown eyes… _Did you leave me, Kagome? Did you abandon me…?_

Inuyasha couldn't stand to hear those questions anymore. He shook his head violently, shaking himself from his reverie. He didn't stay staring at Kikyo for more than five seconds before bolting, running off in the direction of the well.

The same questions plagued his mind as he fled from the scene; questions that he couldn't stand to hear anymore, questions that needed answers.

---

The small dorm room was dark and silent, the only signs of life portrayed being the various articles of clothing strewn over the two beds and floor. Pale, yellow light beamed in through the half-opened window, casting light onto the peaceful room.

That all changed when Kagome walked in through the door. The door flew open, revealing a very frustrated and tired girl in the hallway. Kagome trudged through the doorway, slamming the door shut behind her.

"_Where do you keep the extra biology text books_?" she asked herself quietly with a mocking tone. "In the fucking biology section!" Seething, the girl ran to her bed, falling back onto the cushy blanket. "_How do I get to McDonald's from here? _How the hell am I supposed to know? I've lived here for less than three months!" Kagome grabbed her pillow and pressed it over her face, screaming into the fluffy cloth.

Seriously, how long would she have to live there before people stopped asking such asinine questions? All day long, her peers had astounded her with their lack of intelligence. It had gotten quite annoying, to put it mildly.

Kagome groaned into her pillow, cursing the day that Americans were given the ability to ask questions.

Kagome's brooding, however, was interrupted when the phone began to ring. The girl removed the pillow from her face and glanced curiously at the machine on her table. It continued to ring, emitting loud, shrill tones that surprisingly seemed to mirror Kagome's previous frustrations.

She pulled herself into a sitting position and reached for the phone, taking hold of it with numb fingers. "Hello?" she asked, trying to hide her anger.

"Oi, Kagome?"

Kagome's anger instantly evaporated, and her lips broke into a smile. "Inuyasha!" she cried happily, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "How are you?"

"Kagome…" Kagome's eyes widened at the hanyou's voice. It sounded hesitant… saddened… maybe even pained.

Kagome's brow furrowed in concern for her hanyou friend. "What is it, Inuyasha?"

"Did you abandon me?"

Kagome's eyes widened further before softening sadly. "Inuyasha, no…" She bit her lip. "I didn't abandon you. I would _never_ abandon you."

"Are you coming back then?" the hanyou asked eagerly.

Kagome smiled wryly. "Inuyasha, I can't… I'm here for school." Kagome's own words cut deep into her heart; she couldn't imagine what Inuyasha must have felt when he heard them.

"Will you come back ever?" She could almost picture her friend's inu ears drooping.

"Of course I will," Kagome murmured. "I just have a lot to do here before I can." The girl paused for a moment. "But I _will_ come back, Inuyasha. I promise."

---

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head, his heart sinking. Kagome's words sounded genuine, and he knew that he had to believe her. He had to have faith in what Kagome said, he had to believe that she would come back to him. But, he wouldn't let himself.

The hanyou, embarrassed and realizing that Kagome's mother was watching his every movement, turning away, facing the wall. He bowed his head slightly.

"Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha straightened at the sound of Kagome's voice. He had been silent for the past couple of minutes, unable to find words that could assure Kagome that he believed her. After all, anything that came out of his mouth would just confirm his insecurity.

"Inuyasha, are you there?" the voice pressed.

"Uhh… Hai." It wasn't much, but it was all that Inuyasha was really capable of saying at the moment.

The hanyou heard a sigh on the other end, the breath of air sounding sad and defeated. "I need to go, Inuyasha, but I'll talk to you some time soon, okay?"

Inuyasha's gaze lowered to stare at his feet. "Hai."

"I miss you, Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. "Sayonara."

_I miss you, too, _Inuyasha wanted to say. His cheeks flushed, and he shot a backwards glance at Kagome's mother and brother, who were still watching him with immense curiosity. "Uh huh… Sayonara."

Numb fingers gripped the phone and placed it on the cradle. An uncomfortable silence settled on the room, leaving Inuyasha with an uneasy feeling entering his heart, along with the disappointment of Kagome's absence. He turned, trying to hide his sadness with feigned confidence and smiled slightly.

"Arigato, Mrs. Higurashi," he murmured quietly, nodding his regards.

"Anytime, Inuyasha," the woman said brightly, a cheerful smile on her lips. She walked with the hanyou to the back of the house, allowing him to walk forth into the snow. With one last nod of his head, he was off, trotting through the slowly deepening snow.

As Inuyasha walked through the snow, his feet growing number by the minute, his smile began to fade. His golden gaze fell to the ground as he walked, his heart seeming to sink to the floor itself. A shudder overtook his body as snow began to fall around his fading form, and he walked into the snowy mist alone.

---

Kagome hung up the phone with a heavy heart as she pulled off her heavy NYU sweatshirt. Her eyes dropped to the ground sadly as she thought of her hanyou friend, a wave of guilt sweeping over her.

_Don't feel guilty, _she instantly scolded herself. _He knew you'd be here for a long time; it's not your fault if he's unhappy… _Kagome continued to run these words over and over in her head as she pulled off her t-shirt and slipped into a bright pink halter top. The girl sighed, letting her eyes fall closed as she pulled a brush through her hair, slipping her delicate feet into a pair of sneakers.

"God dammit, Inuyasha," she said aloud, dropping her shoulders and throwing her brush onto the bed. She groaned and trudged to the window. White flakes of snow fell from the sky, large flurries of the substance landing on the windowsill outside.

Kagome sighed again. _I wonder if it's snowing back home, _she thought absentmindedly, her eyes softening sadly. _I bet Shippou and Kirara are out playing in the snow right now… maybe making a snowman or having a snowball fight… _Kagome rested her elbows on the small edge in front of her window, dropping her head into her hands. _I bet Sango and Miroku are all wrapped up and warm, maybe getting breakfast ready. And Inuyasha… _Kagome smiled wistfully. _Sitting in the God Tree… watching over them all…_

A pang of nostalgia struck Kagome's heart, hitting her with a force so hard that she almost wanted to cry. Kagome scoffed, wiping away a couple of stray tears that had appeared in her brown eyes. _Talking to Inuyasha always makes me like this… _she thought, walking towards the door.

The girl opened the door and walked into the hall, turning around and glancing back into the small dorm room. Her eyes flew over the window, smiling softly. She could almost see Inuyasha sitting in the tree outside.

A sad smile graced her pink lips and she whispered into the darkness of the room, "Goodbye, Inuyasha." Kagome knew that he couldn't hear her, but some small part of her hoped that he would.

---

Author's notes: …absolute crap. But that's what I get for not writing fan fiction in so long… Anyway, sorry it's so short… I looked at my outline and realized that not a lot happens in this chapter… forgive me!

...oh sure, NOW my breaker works. --;;


	5. Chapter 5

**Here Without You **

**Chapter Five**

_I'm here without you baby  
But you're still on my lonely mind  
I think about you baby  
And I dream about you all the time."_

_-Three Doors Down_

Gentle flakes of snow fell from a grey sky, settling on the forest below. The trees now stood decorated with the icy substance, their lush, green leaves hidden until spring would reveal itself.

Inuyasha sat next to a stream, his head resting gently on his knees. He snorted, letting out a visible puff of breath into the cold air around him. One of his inu ears twitched slightly as a flake of snow hit it, sending a chill through his body.

With all of the snow and preparations for wintertime, the hanyou and company had hardly noticed another month creep by. October had finally given way to November, and Inuyasha was left with only his memories.

A small smile graced the hanyou's lips. _Stupid wench, taking that himono to her world…_ His smile widened into a full-fledged grin as he remembered the last youkai that they had been required to fight: a giant fish youkai, flopping on top of Kagome's school like a fish out of water.

Inuyasha sighed lightly, a smile still upon his face. He remembered how he had been forced to wander around Kagome's world while she had also been forced into her friends' culture festival projects. He remembered her singing in the chorus; the way she had sung so beautifully and smiled so sweetly at him. In all of their running around, he had somehow forgotten to tell her how beautiful her voice truly was…

And now, it seemed that he had forgotten so many things. He had forgotten to tell her what an amazing person she was, had forgotten to say how Kikyo could never compare. He had forgotten to say thank you all of those times when she had helped him, had forgotten to tell her what he felt before she left…

A deep growl rose in Inuyasha's throat. That was it. He was _done_ with it all. He gritted his teeth and rose from his position next to the frozen creek, turning quickly and darting towards the well. He ran quickly over the frozen turf, his face set and determined. He wouldn't keep forgetting; he would do what he knew he had to do.

---

Kagome stretched her arms high above her head, sighing in contentment. God, she loved weekends.

The girl smiled gently to herself, admiring the beautiful scenery that decorated Central Park. A chilling, fall wind swept through the wooded park, and Kagome pulled the hood of her NYU sweatshirt over her head. The wind continued to blow against Kagome's face, but she just smiled.

After all, she would choose a windy walk through the park over school any day.

Kagome stretched again, striding to a bench and plopping down. She let her eyes fall closed, a small puff of breath escaping her lips in a peaceful sigh.

"Hi there."

Kagome's eyes opened at the sound of the familiar voice. She lifted her gaze to stare at a boy in front of her, a smug grin on his face.

The girl smiled by means of hello. "Hey, Ricky."

Ricky grinned and sat down next to Kagome, the space between them on the bench almost nonexistent. "Almost didn't recognize you with that hood on."

Kagome quirked a smile. "That was kind of the idea," she said honestly. "It's nice to have a day to yourself, you know?"

Ricky nodded, never wiping that smile off of his face. "Totally."

And yet he didn't budge.

"So, are you going to the Thanksgiving party at my frat next week?" he asked, inconspicuously changing the subject.

Kagome shrugged. "I don't think so," she said softly, pulling her hood back. She ran a pale hand through her raven hair. "I normally go with Piper, but since she's going home for the holidays, I think I'll just stay home."

Ricky nodded, though he seemed genuinely disappointed. "That's too bad. I was looking forward to spending it with you."

Kagome nodded, blowing out a puff of air that ruffled her bangs. Hadn't Ricky gotten the clue that she wasn't interested in him?

"So, you wanna do something sometime?"

Obviously not.

Kagome raised her eyebrows for a moment, but quickly stood, ignoring Ricky's question. "Oh, look at the time!" Kagome then remembered that she wasn't wearing a watch. "I should be getting back. Piper and I were going to do some holiday shopping before she left. I still need to get my brother a Statue of Liberty Lighter!" Kagome forced a loopy smile. "Well, see you later!"

Kagome turned on her heel and began to skip away with feigned happiness. She rolled her eyes with an exasperated sigh. _Dumb ass._

---

"Mrs. Higurashi?"

Inuyasha padded cautiously into the house, his ears titled forward in anticipation of a reply.

"Mrs. Higurashi?" he called again.

"Oi, Inu-onichan!" Inuyasha turned to see a boy of about twelve come trotting down the staircase. He smiled at the hanyou, giving a small wave of hello. "She's gone; went grocery shopping or something. And I think Grandpa's out doing… stuff…" He shrugged.

"Oh." Inuyasha dropped his head in disappointment.

"What did you need?"

"Ano… I…" Inuyasha's cheeks flushed to a light shade of pink. Now that he was about to actually say it, his idea did seem sort of stupid. The hanyou snorted. _What do you mean 'sort of'?_ Inuyasha swallowed hard. "I wanted to talk to your mother about Kagome."

"What about Kagome?" Souta raised his eyebrows curiously.

"Ano…" Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head, his ears flattening. "I wanted to talk about visiting her."

Souta raised his eyebrows even more. "You want to visit sis in _New York_?" he asked with a bemused expression.

Inuyasha's blush deepened. "Hai…"

Souta's brow furrowed; he rubbed an imaginary goatee at his chin. "Well, we should probably run over some things." He grabbed Inuyasha's arm and led him into the kitchen, pulling him down to sit at the small table.

And thus the plotting began.

Inuyasha had never known how complex Kagome's world could be. Well, he had an idea, but not true knowledge. But, now, he knew of the world beyond Kagome's life and experiences; the world of fake I.D.'s (whatever those were), airplanes, and much, much more.

"What's a terrorist?"

"Just a dude with a bunch of weapons and stuff that tries to kill people and freak them out. Don't worry; you don't need to know about that. Anyway-"

Inuyasha tuned out as Souta continued to chat happily about automobiles and skyscrapers, and whatnot. _Would that make Sesshoumaru a terrorist? And Naraku, too?_

"Inuyasha, are you listening?"

_No, not really._ "You lost me at D-D-R."

"Oh, well DDR is this great game. You dance and these flashy lights come up, and, and…" At the look of utter confusion on Inuyasha's face, Souta cut himself short. "This isn't helping, is it?"

Inuyasha shook his head.

Souta sighed. "Well, I guess that I should leave most of it to mom," he said. "Though you had better figure out what to do with your sword. Either that or leave it here."

Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed as his hands fell to clutch his beloved Tessaiga protectively. "I'll figure something out."

Souta nodded and pulled a box labeled 'Pocky' out of his pocket. He gave Inuyasha a questioning look. "Want some?" he asked, pulling two small sticks out of the box.

Inuyasha tilted his head, his ears pressed forward curiously. "What is it?"

Souta raised an amused eyebrow, smiling. "Pocky." Inuyasha gave him a blank stare. "Pocky equals food." Souta handed one of the sticks to Inuyasha, giving an exasperated sigh. "Jeez, Inuyasha, how can sis put up with you all of the time?"

Inuyasha growled slightly, biting off the dark end of the stick. _If you knew about how many times I've saved her ass, you'd know._

Before either of them had realized it, an hour had crept by, leaving both of the boys sitting at the kitchen table with an empty box of pocky. And, as far as Inuyasha was concerned, it was the next best thing since Ramen.

"Do you have anymore?"

"Inuyasha, that's the fifth time you've asked. NO." Souta dropped his elbows on the table and rested his chin in his hands.

Inuyasha pouted in his disappointment, glancing at the clock in the corner of the room. The short line had moved to the next number. Did that mean that he had been there for a long time…? "Shouldn't your mother be home soon?" Inuyasha finally asked.

Souta sighed, rolling his eyes. "She should have been home an hour ago." He smirked. "Women always take at least an hour or two more than expected when shopping."

Inuyasha snorted, and as if on cue, Kagome's mother walked in.

"Souta, I'm home!" she called sweetly, walking into the kitchen. Her gaze instantly fell on Inuyasha. She smiled brightly at the hanyou.

"Why, Inuyasha, what a pleasant surprise!" she said, absolutely beaming. "We haven't gotten a visit from you for quite a while!"

"Uhh… hai…" Inuyasha said, once again made uncomfortable by Mrs. Higurashi's kindness. "Mrs. Higurashi, I wanted to ask you something…"

"Oh? What's that?"

"He wants to visit Kagome in New York City!" Souta blurted happily. Inuyasha shot the boy a glare that seemed to say 'Oh, thanks a lot.' Souta stared back, his eyes beaming innocently. "Well, you do."

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened, but she smiled warmly at the hanyou. "Oh, Inuyasha, that's a very kind gesture," she said, "but, I don't know…" Upon seeing the disappointed look on Inuyasha's face, along with the adorably sad wilt of his ears, she quickly added, "But I'm sure we can work something out."

Inuyasha glanced up, smiling brightly. "Really?"

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, sitting down with the boys at the table. "Hai!"

Souta leaned over the table eagerly. "What did you have in mind?"

Mrs. Higurashi tapped her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Hmm… I'm not quite sure." Both of the boys gave her a deadpan stare. "One of my friends was going to go to New York for America's Thanksgiving. I might be able to work it out so Inuyasha goes with her…"

Inuyasha grinned. "Arigato, Mrs. Higurashi!" he said happily.

And then the plan went into motion.

"I can get the fake I.D. of him," Souta chimed in while they plotted. "I just need a picture of him."

"Oh, that's great- Wait. How do you know how to get fake I.D.'s?" Mrs. Higurashi stared crossly at her son.

"Umm…" The boy stared sheepishly at his mother. "School?"

Mrs. Higurashi gave a roll of her eyes and a wry smile. "Well, I guess it's okay for this…"

Inuyasha watched the display, a small smile growing on his face. In less than a week, he'd be with Kagome. He'd be able to see her, talk to her, touch her… see her. The hanyou grinned at the thought.

"Mrs. Higurashi?" the hanyou asked softly. The woman stopped in her scolding Souta of his ability to forge, and glanced at Inuyasha.

"Yes, Inuyasha?" she asked softly.

"Can I call Kagome?" he asked shyly, blushing gently.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled. "Sure, sweetie. The number's on the table."

---

A loud ringing tone cut through the silence of the small room, alerting both parties to its presence.

"You know, for once I'd like to have a _full_ morning's sleep!" Piper declared angrily, covering her head with a pillow.

Kagome rolled onto her stomach and reached for the phone on the bedside table. After a full night of shopping and eating with Piper, she couldn't say that she was exactly thrilled about being woken at five on a Sunday morning either.

"Hello?" came her sleepy voice as she pulled herself up in bed.

"Kagome?"

"Hi, Inuyasha." Kagome smiled gently, her annoyance at being woken up evaporating.

However, she couldn't say the same for her friend.

"Do you have a fucking problem with calling during the day?!" she shouted at Inuyasha from across the room.

"What was that?" Inuyasha asked skeptically.

Kagome smirked and rose, heading for the door. "A banshee."

"Yeah, screw you, too," Piper called after her.

Kagome grinned, closing the door gently behind her. "How are you, Inuyasha?"

"Fine," he said. "Umm… how are you?"

Kagome lifted an eyebrow. Was Inuyasha being… considerate? "I'm good, too, Inuyasha. A little tired, but good."

"Good." There was silence on the other end, and Kagome heard the voice of her younger brother in the background. "Okay, okay!" Inuyasha yelled at the boy.

Kagome smiled. "What did he want?"

"He wants to know if you got his_ Statue of Liberty lighter_, whatever the hell that is."

Kagome smirked. "Tell him he'll have to wait for Christmas to find out."

"What the hell is that?"

"Just tell him."

Inuyasha growled. "You'll have to wait for _Christimas_," she heard him say to her younger brother. "He says 'you suck.'"

"Tell him that I say 'No, you suck.'"

"Wait, I suck?"

"No, he does."

"Souta does?"

"Yes, tell him that I say 'No, you suck.'"

"But, doesn't _he_ suck?"

"Oh, forget it." Kagome rolled her eyes, but a small smile crawled across her lips.

"Umm, Kagome?"

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"I miss you."

Kagome smiled, feeling butterflies rise in her chest. Though he had hinted numerous times, this was the first time he had actually said the words 'I miss you.'

Kagome smiled sadly, feeling giddy all of a sudden. "I miss you, too, Inuyasha."

The two stayed on the phone for at least another hour, Inuyasha proving to be one of the only guys that Kagome had ever met that had the ability to maintain a conversation. And, once they had hung up, some time around six-thirty, Kagome found herself blushing.

The girl sat outside of her dorm room for a moment, just smiling to herself, the butterflies still tickling the inside of her chest.

---

Author's notes: Review! ::flexes fingers:: ...please?


	6. Chapter 6

**Here Without You**

****

**Chapter Six**

_"I'm here without you baby  
But you're still with me in my dreams  
And tonight girl it's only you and me."_

_-Three Doors Down_

"Happy Thanksgiving!"

Kagome winced and rolled onto her stomach, shielding her eyes from the light, while protecting her ears from Piper's loud-as-hell voice.

"Ha! Yeah! Getting a taste of your own medicine! Sucks, doesn't it-" Piper's annoyingly loud, victorious rant was cut short when Kagome threw a pillow, which connected with her face.

"Karma," Kagome mumbled sleepily, snuggling up in her blankets. "Are you leaving yet?" She shot a drowsy grin at her friend.

"Ch'. Love you, too, Kagome," Piper retorted, matching Kagome's grin. "Yeah, I just need to find my cell phone..."

"Did you leave it at Alex's house last night?" Kagome gave a sly smirk, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Piper was silent for a moment, tapping her lip as she considered the thought. "Shit, I did." The girl frowned. "Well, guess I better go get it. And my black bra, too."

Kagome gave a comical wince. "Piper, way more information than I ever wanted or needed to here."

"Yeah, deal with it." Piper smiled, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She tossed her short, blonde hair out of her face. "Now get up and give me a hug, bitch."

Kagome smiled and rose, trotting over to Piper and giving the girl a hug. The blonde-haired American returned the embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around Kagome's back.

The girls parted. "You sure you'll be okay here by yourself?" she asked skeptically. "Because you can come with me to my parents' house-"

"I'll be fine, Piper," Kagome protested, honestly touched by her friend's concern. She smiled. "Have a nice Thanksgiving with your family."

Piper snorted and turned for the door. "I'll try…" She opened the door and stepped through, turning to give Kagome one last goodbye.

Piper grinned, giving Kagome a wave with a flick of her wrist. "Later."

"Ja ne."

---

_Is this real…?_ Gossamer clouds drifted by, screening the brilliant sun and casting soft light onto Inuyasha as he soared. His golden eyes sparkled in the light, wide and bemused, while silver hair whipped around his face. _Is this real?_ He asked himself again with a curious look. And, yes, it was real. He was soaring, he was flying, he was…

Sitting in an uncomfortable chair while the broken 'air conditioner' continued to blow on his face at full blast. Inuyasha shifted in his seat, dropping his head into his hands as he stared out of the tiny window of the metal bird he now inhabited.

A sigh of discontentment escaped him, his white ears twitching beneath the hat he now wore. Just a week ago, the hanyou had never even imagined that the journey to Kagome would be this boring. Though he thought it was very well worth it, he also thought that he was on the brink of a mental breakdown. Not only was he bored out of his mind and confined to a small chair for over a day, but the kid behind him kept kicking his chair.

For the umpteenth time in the past hour, Inuyasha turned in his seat and glared at the child, his teeth bared. A deep growl rose in his throat, and the child was promptly silenced. His wide blue eyes stared at Inuyasha with a fond curiosity.

"Inu!" he cried happily, pointing at the hanyou.

"Feh," Inuyasha snorted, turning back around in his seat. "Baka."

The hanyou sighed, his silver hair cascading over his shoulders as he sunk down in his chair. Though the ride had been excruciatingly boring up to this point, it definitely was nice to have a break from all of the planning. In fact, the past week had been nothing but planning. They had needed to buy Inuyasha a ticket to New York, figure out how to get him past security in the airport, get a fake I.D. card, and lastly, needed to find a way to hide his Tessaiga.

That was where Kaede and Miroku had come in. Using her miko powers, and his houshi powers, they had forged a seal for Inuyasha's precious sword. The charm had made it invisible to the naked eye, and undetectable by humans.

However, none of them had ever thought about metal detectors. Hell, they didn't even know what metal detectors were! All that Inuyasha knew was that he disliked them greatly. With a passion. It was because of the evil invention of the metal detector, that Inuyasha and his company had been forced to stand in the airport for _hours_ while the airport security inspected him.

"Americans are pretty protective of their country and who gets into these days," a man had said while Inuyasha was studied.

"What's an American?" the hanyou had asked, confused by the unfamiliar word.

The man tapped his bottom lip thoughtfully, his eyes rolling towards the ceiling. "You know, nobody really knows. They say they're the '_free people,_' but, hey, most of us are free, aren't we? Well, except for those poor bastards in Iraq and Saudi Arabia…" The man continued to chat absentmindedly.

Inuyasha stared at the man with a bemused expression, an eyebrow cocked. He didn't know what the hell an _eye rack_ was, and wasn't even going to try to pronounce that last one. But, he didn't think that asking the man what they were would help. No, that would only cause further confusion.

Luckily, Inuyasha was rescued by his company, who he had found was named Mrs. Mokina. Something about surgery and a metal head-plate… whatever. The point remains, Inuyasha was spared further confusion, and allowed to get on the plane to New York.

And now, the hanyou was sitting on a giant, metal bird, dying from boredom as he stared out of the small window.

"Would you like something to drink, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha turned at the sound of the kind voice. "Uhh… hai, Mrs. Mokina. Arigato."

The old woman nodded and handed Inuyasha a small can labeled '_Mountain Dew: Code Red._'

Needless to say, the rest of the flight wasn't so boring.

---

Snow fell from the sky, drifting to the earth in soft flurries. They settled on New York City, decorating the normally dreary city with a white veil; one that gave it a beautiful, dreamy look.

Kagome strode along in the snow, a delicate smile on her lips, roses in her cheeks. _I knew I'd like New York in the winter_, she mused as she walked through a frozen Central Park. Brown eyes lifted to the sky in favor of watching the snow fall. Grey clouds loomed overhead, expelling flakes of snow continuously. ­One signal piece of snow drifted down towards Kagome, settling on the tip of the girl's nose.

Kagome wrinkled her nose as the piece of ice melted, ducking her head into her warm, fleece scarf. The fabric felt soft against her skin, providing a temporary moment of warmth and comfort. Fleece had always seemed to have that effect…

A gentle sigh left Kagome. Despite how she hated to admit, despite how childish and stupid it made her feel; she really did miss home. She missed her mom; she missed her brother and grandpa. She missed Inuyasha, and Sango, and Miroku; and Shippou and Kirara. She missed the sakura trees, and being able to get _good_ yakisoba. Hell, she even missed looking for the Shikon no Tama…

Kagome snorted, the puff of air visible in the winter's chill. _I guess I'm just homesick, _Kagome thought with a wry smile. _At least I get to go back during Christmas vacation…_ Another sigh of discontentment was audible as the girl's shoulders dropped. Somehow, that didn't seem soon enough.

Kagome pulled her coat tighter around herself, trying to shield herself from the cold winds that assailed her. Snow blew in her face, catching in her eyelashes and hair. _Well, at least they get decent snow storms over here…_ Kagome's lips quirked into a smile, and she began the long trek back to her dorm.

---

"Holy shit, that's the biggest youkai I've ever seen!"

Inuyasha stared out of the window, his eyes wide and bemused as he stared at a _gigantic_ youkai in the distance. She wore a green robe and held a green book in one hand, and a marble-like green torch in the other. In fact, she was completely green, from head to toe.

"What's that, Inuyasha?" Mrs. Mokina asked, peeking up from her magazine.

Inuyasha turned to face the woman, but quickly turned back to the youkai. He pointed a clawed finger in its direction, his golden eyes still wide. "That youkai! It's huge! But, it's not moving… is it sealed…?"

Mrs. Mokina let out a small laugh, a smile spreading across her wrinkled face. "That's the statue of liberty, Inuyasha," she said with an amused tone.

"It's not a youkai…?"

"Nope."

"Oh." Inuyasha sunk in his seat, only slightly disappointed. If it had been a youkai, he would have at least had something to do…

Suddenly, a fuzzy, feminine voice broke Inuyasha's silent brooding. "Excuse me all American Airline passengers," she spoke. Inuyasha's ears twitched wildly beneath his hat, trying desperately to figure out where the voice was coming from. "We will be arriving at JFK airport within fifteen minutes. Please turn off all CD players and other battery operated equipment. Thank you!"

Inuyasha tilted his head to the side, looking very much like a curious puppy. "We're here?"

Mrs. Mokina smiled, placing her magazine in the outside pocket of her purse. "Almost," she said. "Just a few more minutes, Inuyasha-Chan."

Inuyasha blushed at the old woman's nickname. Nobody had ever called him that before…

---

Nearly an hour and a half after Kagome's walk found the girl sitting in the common room of her dorm building, a '_Ceres'_ manga sitting in her lap.

"Oh come on, Aya, pick Yuuhi!" she whispered loudly at the book.

Kagome flipped the page, licking her lips as she read. True, it might not have seemed like much, but this was just… perfect. There she was, sitting in her dorm all alone with a manga in her lap and a fire burning at the opposite end of the room.

The fire cracked and licked at the stone hearth as it consumed the longs, filling the room with bright and natural warmth. A small smile spread across Kagome's lips as she looked up at the fire, rolling back the sleeves of her dark blue sweater. _This is so perfect,_ she mused happily. _This couldn't possibly get any better…_

And it didn't. In fact, it just got worse. Because walking through the door was Ricky, one of his friends tagging behind.

Kagome looked up to see the boy walking towards her when the cold air from outside hit her. A small shiver shot down her spine, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was just from the cold…

"Hello, Ricky," she said warmly, a small smile planted on her lips. She placed her manga on the small oak table next to her. "Happy Thanksgiving."

Ricky returned Kagome's kindness with a charming smile as he peeled off his jacket. "Thanks, you too."

Kagome smiled. "Need something?"

Ricky shook his head, failing to remove that smug smile of his. "Not really. My buddy, John, and I just decided that since you weren't going to the party, we'd bring the party to you."

Kagome smiled, but something inside of her shuddered. "How thoughtful."

Ricky grinned and walked over to where he sat, his confidence evident in his stride. He perched himself on the armrest of Kagome's chair, staring down at the girl with sparkling eyes.

Kagome blushed slightly, staring up at Ricky. "Umm… hi there."

Ricky smirked. "Hey."

Kagome titled her head to the side. _Was he just trying to sound… sexy? _The girl blushed, instantly feeling that her cheeks would explode.

"So, John and I were kind of bored at the party, so we thought we'd come here and have a little fun."

…Forget the cheeks exploding; now she just wanted to run.

Kagome swallowed the growing lump in her throat. "What do you mean?" she dared to ask.

Ricky grinned, baring pure, white teeth. "I think you have some idea." The boy brought his hand up to graze Kagome's cheek. "I think you have the entire idea…"

_Yeah, but I really wish I didn't…_ Kagome's pulse quickened. "I'd really rather not," she said, trying to sound defiant, though her voice came out small and weak.

Ricky forced a laugh out of his mouth, the harsh sound making Kagome cringe. "Come on, Kagome; college is the time to _experiment_." His eyes danced with silent laughter. "Don't you want to be part of it all?"

_No. _Kagome shook her head, her cheeks flaming.

"Well, we'll start and see how you like it," Ricky murmured, his eyes half-closed as he removed himself from the armrest of Kagome's chair. The terrified schoolgirl stared back to see the one dubbed John standing by the fire, his arms crossed over his chest, and a sly grin on his lips.

_Bastards, _Kagome thought, staring at them with trembling irises. "Don't," she said, putting rough emphasis on the one word.

Ricky snorted, bring himself in front of Kagome. "Sure." John let out an abrupt laugh from where he stood, watching the display.

Kagome glared at Ricky and began to rise to her feet in an attempt to get away, but was quickly pushed back into the chair. "Bakayarou…"

"Cut the Japanese crap, Kagome," Ricky said in an irritated tone. "You're in America, remember?"

Kagome glared at him angrily, though everything inside of her was screaming.

Ricky smirked, resting his knees against Kagome's chair as he straddled her legs, his arms on either side of her. He brought his face down, way too close for comfort, and grinned wide, taking hold of one of Kagome's arms.

Kagome glared at him. "Get off."

Ricky snorted, bringing his lips down on hers. "Make me."

Kagome's eyes flashed to red as she brought her hand up, swiping it across Ricky's arrogant face. The boy's eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he brought his angry gaze back to Kagome.

"If you keep doing that, this'll be a lot more difficult…" He brought his lips down on hers again.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for contact with Ricky's lips, while also preparing to vomit. _This is disgusting_, Kagome thought hopelessly, _I can't believe this is happening…_

But, while Kagome sat there, her eyes tightly shut, nothing happened. She didn't feel Ricky's lips against her own, nor did she feel his hand on her arm, rooting her to the spot. The girl pried her eyes open, and just in time to see Ricky being pulled back, away from her. And then, she heard a familiar voice…

"Teme…"

Kagome's eyes widened. _It can't be… there's no way…_

Kagome tilted her head to see around Ricky and passed out when she saw who stood there. Those golden eyes; the long, silver hair…

"Inuyasha?!" Kagome gaped at the hanyou as he stood there, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, her voice refusing to be found.

"Teme," Inuyasha repeated, grabbing Ricky by the neck. "Keep your hands off of her," he growled menacingly.

And he didn't even allow Ricky to get one word in. Without another passing moment, Inuyasha sent a swift punch to Ricky's jaw, letting him fly across the room. The hanyou glared after him. "Get out."

Ricky stared at Inuyasha, his eyes wide and terrified. He feebly got to his feet and ran out, his friend John, who appeared to have also gotten a piece of the hanyou's mind, tailing shortly behind.

Kagome stared up at Inuyasha, her mouth still agape. She stared up at her rescuer; her protector who was always there when she needed him. Even when he was supposedly half a world away…

---

"Inuyasha…?"

Inuyasha's ears turned towards the gentle voice, though still hidden by the hat, and his fear evaporated. The hanyou turned to meet the girl's gaze.

Her eyes were wide and filled with tears, a small, confused smile on her lips. "Inuyasha," she repeated, her smile widening as she rose from her seat.

Inuyasha returned the smile. "Oi, Kagome."

Kagome shook her head, running towards him. "Inuyasha!" The girl flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She buried her face in his red haori, gentle cries racking her body.

"Oi, Kagome!" Inuyasha whine, surprised by the girl's tears. "Stop crying, baka!"

"I'm not crying!" she shouted into the fire rat cloth.

Inuyasha smiled, remembering their familiar argument. "Yes, you are."

"No I'm not." Kagome paused for a moment before continuing. "Oh, fine, screw it; I am. I just can't believe it's you, Inuyasha." The girl's tears slid down her cheeks, landing on Inuyasha's red haori. The girl lifted her eyes to stare at Inuyasha's face, crystalline tears brimming her eyelashes. "I missed you so much."

The hanyou's ears flattened against his with embarrassment as he tentatively placed his arms around the crying girl. "I missed you, too."

Kagome let out a small laugh, taking a step back in order to gaze at the hanyou's face. "I can't believe this…" she murmured. "How did you get here?"

Inuyasha rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Well, your mother sent me with one of her friends."

Kagome tilted her head to the side. "Why?"

Inuyasha blushed. "So I could see you."

Kagome stared at the hanyou for a moment, a small smile on her lips, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Inuyasha…" And then she flung herself onto him again.

---

Kagome kept her arms locked firmly around Inuyasha's neck, afraid that if she let go, he would disappear; afraid that this was all just an incredibly wonderful, cruel dream. Ethereal tears continued to slide down her cheeks as she held the hanyou in her arms, all of the longing and missing him through the past months condensed into that one embrace.

_God, I've got a lot of hugging to do…_ Kagome realized. She pulled herself away from the inu hanyou, a small smile on her lips. She brought her arm up and wiped the stray tears away from her eyes.

The girl shot a glance behind the hanyou, realizing that they were still, indeed, in the middle of the common room, available to all observers… Kagome blushed brilliantly. "We should get going," she murmured randomly. She brought her gaze back to Inuyasha and smiled. "Come on, I'll show you my room."

Inuyasha nodded his response and allowed himself to be led up the staircase and down the hall, stopping at the room labeled '224.' Kagome watched as the hanyou stared with a bemused expression at the rooms around him, his nose twitching as he took in the variety of new scents.

"Is this an inn?" he asked, his head cocked to the side.

Kagome giggled. "No, Inuyasha; it's called a dorm. It's a place for college students to stay."

The hanyou snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "Looks like an inn to me…"

Kagome smiled, turning towards the room '224' and twisting the knob. The door let out a small click and gave way to the two outside, who walked in quickly; not wanting to attract the attention of any college students that could have been around. Kagome softly closed the door behind them, turning in towards her room with a content sigh.

"This is it," she breathed lightly, her eyes roaming over the small room that she and Piper shared.

Inuyasha nodded, sniffing the air as he pulled off his red hat, letting it fall to the ground. "It smells like your old room… only different…"

Kagome's lips quirked into a smile. "That's probably because I share it with someone." The girl strode to her bed and plopped down. She patted the spot next to her, inviting the hanyou to her side.

Inuyasha's ears pressed forward eagerly, striding to where Kagome was and dropping down as well.

Kagome stared affectionately at Inuyasha. "I missed you so much, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha snorted, though his cheeks flushed to a bright scarlet. "Yeah, I know; you said that already."

Kagome shook her head, her raven hair whipping around as she smiled gently. "No, Inuyasha; you don't know," she said, her cheeks now matching his at heat grew there. "I've missed you so much these past months, and I've wanted to do something…"

Inuyasha tilted his head curiously. "What's that?"

Kagome smiled, her cheeks burning. She reached out and brushed a strand of the hanyou's silver hair out of his face, allowing her hand to linger there. "I've wanted to do this."

Kagome leaned in and settled her lips on Inuyasha's. Her eyes fell closed as she allowed her body to relax, all of the muscles in her body loosening as she caressed Inuyasha's lips with her own.

---

Inuyasha's eyes widened for a moment, his whole body taken over by a sense of extreme shock. But also… extreme euphoria. The hanyou stayed still for a moment before reacting and slowly looping an arm around Kagome's waist, pulling her closer to him.

The hanyou's eyes fell closed as he held Kagome to him, his heart hammering in his chest. He brought his hand up to cup her face while the other remained tightly wrapped around the girl's waist.

This close… he could _feel_ everything. He could smell Kagome's sweet, delicate scent; he could hear her soft whimpers and breaths as they kissed; he could feel her heartbeat racing in time with his.

And it was wonderful. There he was, in a strange country, having just gotten off a rather boring and exhausting plane ride, and also having been forced to beat one of the more moronic men of the world.

But, he was kissing Kagome. He was _with_ Kagome. And that was all that mattered.

---

Author's notes: … ::inhales:: FINALLY!!


End file.
